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Evergreen economies: institutions, industries and issues in the green economy

EVERGREEN ECONOMIES:
INSTITUTIONS, INDUSTRIES, AND ISSUES IN THE GREEN ECONOMY
by
Laurie Kaye
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF POLICY, PLANNING,
AND DEVELOPMENT
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF POLICY, PLANNING, AND DEVELOPMENT
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Laurie Kaye

My research examines the burgeoning “green economy” movement at the sub-national scale. “Green jobs” are arguably a unique window on, a lesser-explored aspect of, a potential indicator of success, and a way of anchoring the discourse of sustainability’s trilogy of equity, economic, and environmental values. Although there is an established literature around sustainability, there is little scholarship and actionable policies around the “green economy” despite a flurry of recent political rhetoric and a myriad of imagined opportunities for mutually-beneficial ends. My research seeks to begin to bridge this gap and to explain differences in the variation of green economic opportunities within cities. Drawing from a predominately institutional perspective, I utilize mixed methods to examine what institutional factors might account for differences in the amount and type of green employment activities within metropolitan areas. First, I utilize regression analysis of the 55 most populous, domestic cities and corollary metropolitan statistical areas in an examination of the distribution of “green employment” as defined by the recent Brookings Institution study. Through a content analysis, I also provide a quantification of the way in which the term “green jobs” has been increasingly integrated into each city’s municipal website. I thereby identify the manner through which “green jobs” have been referenced within the city’s policy platform and also identify specific “green jobs initiatives.” By linking this discussion with “green employment” levels, I provide a typology of metropolitan areas. Second, I utilize case study analysis of several metropolitan areas to examine the relationship between institutions--including government agencies, policies, and nonprofit alliances-- and the prevalence and type of “green employment” within several metropolitan statistical areas domestically. In doing so, I also develop a framework for quantifying and identifying “green economic activities” (including the development of a “green economy” framework applicable to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code) that I believe is replicable across metropolitan statistical areas. Not all cities are equally positioned for the same vision of “green jobs.” I identify a package of policies and programs that can be employed; I link such a package to the institutional reality of disparate cities. Through this approach, I identify and explain a compelling range of institutional factors attributing to differences in the quantity and diversity of “green employment.” The research contributes to the theory of sustainable development, as well as provides rigor and depth to the practical application of “green economy” goals for cities and regions aiming to bolster “green employment” and currently faced with a dearth of methods and policies for quantifying “green employment,” identifying areas of opportunity, and developing effective policy mechanisms to bolster “green employment” within their jurisdictions.

The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.

EVERGREEN ECONOMIES:
INSTITUTIONS, INDUSTRIES, AND ISSUES IN THE GREEN ECONOMY
by
Laurie Kaye
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF POLICY, PLANNING,
AND DEVELOPMENT
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF POLICY, PLANNING, AND DEVELOPMENT
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Laurie Kaye